Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Thursday, July 17, 2008

An endangered Fijian Crested Iguana is perched on a statue of a distant reptilian cousin, a Komodo Dragon, at Sydney's Taronga Zoo Thursday, June 19, 2008. The zoo has begun a program to help save the iguana, which survive on only a few scattered Pacific islands. (Rick Rycroft/AP Photo)

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

A silhouette of a man is seen as he walks past a tank showcasing a fine bubble aeration product in Singapore. The Singapore International Water Week brings policymakers, industry leaders, experts and practitioners together from around the world to address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate achievements in the water world. (Wong Maye-E/AP Photo)

So all of this is less offensive then the most recent cover. Maybe I’m too much of a relativist. I try to think about things from the other side and although some of it sucks and people may believe what they see at the end of the day there are more important things to worry about.

Maybe it is the wrong time to having a “controversial” cover but is it The New Yorker responsible for responding to the political environment in the “right” or “wrong” way. I think if we want to place blame on news outlets or opinion outlets that have been more detrimental to society we should look no further then to MSNBC or Fox News. They are the biggest offenders in my opinion (one of those rare moments where I express my blatant view) and people should be outraged at some of the hosts on the channels. This veers into a different topic. But nonetheless, it an important issue to pay attention to. That is all from me.

“I am informing all my children an gran children to Boycott Mcdonalds, that is a total of 22 people”

"True Christians don’t hate Gays, they only desire to have them acknowledge their sinful lifestyle and and accept Jesus’ forgiveness!"

"I am 73, my wife is 70 - As much as we have enoyed the golden archers over the years, we will not continue to do so because of your close minded leadership. To call us haters tells us your mind is closed, not open to change. We are amazed that your leadership is taking this stand."

"I will drive up to the order window & vioce my reason for not ordering any food. McDonalds should re-McThink their posistion!"

"I will not support any organization that has lined themselves up with the anti-family crowd."

"Congratulations on you suicide. Why on earth would a food company choose to support such an issue? If you were a condom company, maybe I could see it."

"If the CEO of McDonalds is for the Homosexual Agenda, then he is against America and God..."One Nation, Under God.""

In response to the boycott, McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman suggested to the Washington Post that those who oppose SSM are motivated by hate, saying "...hatred has no place in our culture." McDonald's has decided to adopt the "hate" theme used by gay activist groups for years.

Oh man this has the possibility to get ugly. But really how long do you think they could realistically stay away...Big Macs...McGriddles...Snack Wraps.... (cue Homer Simpson)

Monday, July 14, 2008

Said Obama spokesperson Bill Burton: "The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree."

Knowing the liberal politics of the magazine, I believe the magazine's staff when they say the illustration is meant ironically, as a parody of the caricature some conservatives (and some supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.) are painting of the Obamas.

Here is the fabled cover:

A lot of people seem to find this tasteless and crass. I find it to be funny. Considering that the New Yorker has had even more daring covers. Giving dap is common in the black community. And the accuracy of Michelle’s face is so funny. This is something that I laugh at if I saw it on Family Guy or Robot Chicken. I think people should lighten up.

Look at what the New Yorker has done in the past.

This isn’t any less controversial. It is probably more controversial.

Is this really less offensive then the first one?

I don’t even need to comment on this.

Hillary and Barack in bed? Doesn’t the play on the worst fears of racist? A black men and a white women sleeping together? Reminds me of Umbrella.

This isn’t even funny but I added it anyway.

I think joke of this was supposed to be how New Yorkers see themselves in relation to everyone else.

Friday, July 11, 2008

So apparently the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee is in a little controversy. Apparently, he has a few rent-stabilized apartments in New York. Here is a press conference outside his office.

Okay. I don’t care about debating this. Its too touchy and sparks a negative nerve on both sides. Actually it sparks a nerve on 3 sides. You got the Democrats split then also Republicans.

You can comment on whether its true or not. Some people think Obama did it for political points (it happens it what politicians do) and so people said he had a sister souljah moment where he’s repudiating an extremist view or just telling the truth and maybe he’s not telling the truth.

Oddly enough this is really unrelated but I didn’t know the word “nuts” was banned from public discourse. This clip from 23/6, shows just how hard it is even explain what Jesse Jackson wanted to cut off. Apparently, these remarks were crude and hurtful because Jesse Jackson was believed to have made plans to follow through with his statement. Somewhere along this line you know I am being sarcastic. Hopefully…

Watch(One of the best parts is 1:26 when Al Sharpton in a serious face says “Yeah):

Monday, July 7, 2008

Chinese military officers clean up a beach covered with blue-green algae in Qingdao, in eastern China, on Thursday, July 3, 2008. China's latest Olympics nightmare is a vast algae bloom that covers one third of the sea where the world's best sailors are supposed to be competing in just over a month. (Ng Han Guan/AP Photo)

She was looking to accept $100 gas card and additional gifts from an Indiana man she had met for a liaison of a sexual nature according to Police. Poor girl was charged with operating a business without a license and for prostitution.

The guy she was with was charged with promoting prostitution. Her boyfriend denies the charge saying at most she was trying to cheat on him but not selling her body at a gas station for a $100 gas card. Is he naive or maybe he knows his girlfriend better than anyone else? Or maybe he’s just embarrassed.

You times have gotten rough when a regular ole person feels the need to become a street walker just to pay for gas. Guess, these days you’ll receive more than just a pump at the gas station if you are willing to pay for it.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

According to OPEC president Chakib Khelil, one of the reasons for the rise in crude oil prices includes “intrusion of bioethanol on the market” which is responsible for 40% of the rise. The other 60% was due to a weak dollar and geopolitical worries. Interesting.

He didn’t explain why ethanol would drive crude prices higher but he curiously mentions that lack of supply is not a problem. He also added that Western investment embargoes on Libyan and Iran and the War on Iraq has also limited production.

The bioethanol part is interesting the me.The other things are understandable. The war isn’t helping and our weakened economy isn’t doing us any favors. That is something that has to be dealt with and I don’t know how will happen. However, I thought ethanol was supposed to be a different story.

I fear that we’re going to pay hell to disengage from the oil market if alternative fuels are being blamed for rise in oil prices. Not that ethanol is a perfect or desired substitute but it is definitely something to watch out for. I wonder if it will become too expensive for us to move towards alternative fuels or other sources of energy with a situation like this.

Oil companies and oil producing countries obviously stand to lose from our sustained efforts to become more environmental. Since, the rise in prices seems to have no end, I can’t imagine how successful we’ll be in fighting oil companies and dealing with OPEC’s ability to control the price of oil.

On the bright side of this mess, supposedly Mercedes-Benz wants to eliminate petroleum from its lineup by 2015 which isn’t too far away. By looking to battery eclectics, fuel cells and highly efficient internal combustion engines that can operate on biofuels, if successful Mercedes-Benz may become a leader in disengagement are destructive attachment oil. I love oil like the next person, but damn its just too costly to deal with.

I’m looking forward to the day when electric cars, or even solar powered cars are in vogue and petroleum powered cars are uncool. Until then, time to pump $30-$50 worth of gasoline into our cars every week.

Revolution art stays in my mind. For some reason it stays in my mind whether I agree with the revolution or not. Probably the most revolutionary iconic photo these days is the Che photo which has launched a thousand versions. Here is a little history of the original photo...

From Wikipedia:

"Alberto Korda'sfamous photograph of Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara entitled: Guerrillero Heroico (translates to: "Heroic Guerrilla"), was taken on March 5, 1960, in Havana, Cuba, at a memorial service for victims of the La Coubre explosion. The photo was not published internationally until seven years later. At the moment of capture, Korda has stated that he was drawn to Guevara's facial expression at the time, which was one of "absolute implacability"[2] "anger", and "pain"[3]. Years later Korda would reminisce that in his view, the photo encapsulated Che's "character, firmness, stoicism, and resoluteness."[4] Guevara was 31 at the time the photo was taken."

I also think the French Revolution has some memorable art so I included some.

The original French Revolution painting.

The original photo.

The first rendition that became immortalized on shirts around the world or at least in NYC.